Genesis Chapter Ten

Before beginning with Genesis 10 I would like to examine the prophet Habakkuk’s writing. Habakkuk, in case anyone does not know, wrote when the Chaldean (Babylonian) army was invading Judah. In the third chapter the prophet offers a prayer to God, and the Holy Spirit records his words for our mutual learning.

Habakkuk begins to describe God’s majesty and feats over creation; so that when Chaldea invades and overcomes Judah, the prophet will be consoled during the day of trouble, 3:16. Though everything material and transient may fail, the God of Israel is eternal and omnipotent; He will never fail. The verse in particular I would like to explore is verse 10, which says, “The mountains saw You and trembled; the overflowing of the water passed by. The deep uttered its voice, and lifted its hands on high.”

Clearly this verse refers to the Flood. The mountains as they existed in pre-Flood times trembled and the waters covered the whole earth. The deep (the recesses where the fountains of the great deep were stored) uttered its voice. The earth tore asunder at the Lord’s command and issued forth a violent torrent of water the likes of which had never before been witnessed; nor would it ever be again. Habakkuk likens this to the deep uttering its voice in response to God’s command. What did it do? Lifted it hands on high. When the fountains of the great deep were released, the titanic amount and pressure of the stored water must have looked like a wall of solid water rising from the fissures of the earth. Indeed, according to Habakkuk’s poetic description of this monumental event, the deep lifted its hands on high, and the creation praised its Creator by doing His will.

Habakkuk lists other events such as Joshua’s battle at Gibeon (verse 11), an overall synopsis of God’s judgment against the nations of Canaan (verse 12), and God’s redemption of Israel when He brought them out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, verses 13-15. When the prophet contemplated the power of the Almighty, it granted him peace to endure the present calamity he was facing. He concluded with these words, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation,” verse 18. Noah rested in God’s faithfulness when the Flood covered the earth; Habakkuk rested in God when the Babylonians conquered a people “more righteous” than them, 1:13. May we who have the Spirit of God abiding in us find our rest in Christ; He is our peace.
To be Continued.